Duke University

Yes — for freshmen. Duke meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for admitted international freshmen under a strict no-loan policy, which for low-income students is a genuine full ride covering tuition, housing, dining, books, and travel. Duke also offers the highly selective merit-based Karsh International Scholars Program — a complete full ride plus funded research. Admissions is need-aware, though, and international transfer students receive no aid at all.

No — Duke is need-aware for international applicants. The admissions committee considers how much financial aid you're requesting when deciding whether to admit you, so requesting a full-aid package makes an already competitive process (~5–6% acceptance, lower for high-aid applicants) even harder. Once admitted with an aid request, however, Duke meets 100% of your demonstrated need with no loans.

No. Duke is test-optional for freshman applicants, so SAT or ACT scores are not required. A strong score (1500+ SAT or 34+ ACT) can still help validate your academics in a need-aware pool, but it's entirely optional.

No. Duke does not require a TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo exam for bachelor's applicants — testing requirements are identical for domestic and international students. It is strongly recommended for non-native English speakers, though, with typical competitive scores of TOEFL 100+, IELTS 7.0+, or Duolingo 120+.

Yes, but not through College Board codes. Duke has no pre-set fee waiver codes. Instead, after you submit your admissions application, request an institutional CSS fee waiver in your Duke applicant portal — if approved, Duke provides a code. There is no ISFAA or free alternative form, so you must use the online CSS Profile (Duke code 5156).

You must select "Yes" to the financial-aid-interest question on the Common App at the time you apply. This is one-shot: if you don't request financial aid when you apply, you can never apply for it during your undergraduate years at Duke. If there's any chance you'll need aid, indicate interest — you can't add the request later.

Approximately 5–6% for freshman admissions, and lower for international applicants requesting significant aid because admissions is need-aware. Transfer admission is even more competitive at roughly 3–5% — and international transfers must fully self-fund.

No. Duke offers no need-based aid and no merit scholarships to international transfer students, so they may only apply if they can 100% self-fund. Duke also explicitly does not offer application fee waivers to international transfers, meaning you must pay the $85 fee. You'll need the Common App for Transfer with Duke's transfer essays, all post-secondary transcripts, final high school transcripts, a College Report from your registrar or dean, at least one academic recommendation from a university professor, optional test or English scores, and a certified international financial statement proving 100% self-funding. If you need funding at Duke, apply as a freshman.

The Common App or Coalition App with Duke's supplemental essays, official high school transcripts (with certified English translations), a School Report and counselor recommendation, two academic teacher recommendations, optional SAT/ACT or English proficiency scores, and — if requesting aid — the CSS Profile (Duke code 5156). The $85 application fee can be waived under standard financial-hardship criteria through the Common App or Coalition App. Remember to indicate financial-aid interest on the Common App, since that request is one-shot.